1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to stethoscopes, and, more particularly, to a stethoscope with one-handed operation.
2. Description of Prior Art
Stethoscopes are medical instruments used by medical professionals to detect sounds produced by the heart, lungs, abdomen, and other structures in both humans and animals. Sounds within the body cause the stethoscope's diaphragm to vibrate, resulting in acoustic waives that travel via air-filled tubes to earpieces placed into the user's ears. A traditional stethoscope is thus typically composed of a sound receiver assembly with a diaphragm and resonance chamber, flexible single or dual lumen tubing, two ear tubes, and two earpieces.
Physicians, nurses, and technicians use stethoscopes to monitor and diagnose illness, among other uses. However, these medical professionals are often performing other tasks when using the stethoscope, such as palpating the patient's pulse, holding the patient's chart, or manipulating equipment like a sphygmomanometer or thermometer. The design of a traditional stethoscope requires two hands to pull apart the ear tubes for placement of the earpieces into each ear. A one-handed stethoscope, however, would allow a physician or nurse to manipulate equipment or perform other functions while operating the stethoscope.
Veterinarians also use stethoscopes to detect internal sounds produced by pets, livestock, and other animals. Often, veterinarians must hold down or subdue an anxious and agitated animal while attempting to hear the animal's internal noises, or must displace an animal's leg or other body part to allow access to vital areas. Manually separating the two ear tubes of a traditional stethoscope to place the earpieces in each ear requires two hands. A one-handed stethoscope would allow a veterinarian to subdue, soothe, or manipulate an animal with one hand while separating the ear tubes with the other.
Traditional stethoscopes typically have a headpiece with one or two diaphragms and a shallow circular concave bell resonance chamber. In can be difficult to manipulate this large headpiece into narrow or hard-to-reach areas. For example, veterinarians often have difficulty placing a traditional headpiece behind the elbow of a dog, cat, or horse to hear internal sounds. It is also difficult to apply force to the headpiece while displacing the animal's elbow or other body part. A slim headpiece with a slanted design would easily slip into location behind the animal's body part and would allow the veterinarian to apply the necessary pressure.
Using standard headpieces often requires that the physician or veterinarian apply pressure directly to the headpiece and can cause the user's hands to touch the patient. As a result, vibrations to the diaphragm can be reduced, thereby interfering with auscultation of diagnostic sounds. A slanted or extended headpiece would allow the user to apply pressure to the headpiece without touching the patient or interfering with vibrations.